So recently I had "pink" screen crashings everytime I first run a 3D game when I first turn on my computer. Here is how it happened. So every night I turned off my computer and go to sleep. I woke up the next day and turned on my computer. Everything boot up fine and I logged in to my desktop. Then I open up a 3D game which is Left 4 Dead. After I got in the game for like 3 - 5 mins I got a pink screen crash. I can't alt tab out I had to hard restart the comp. Then it works fine after that not a single crash. It just happens like that everytime I turned off the c omputer for at least 2 - 3 hours then the crash happen after I turn on the comp and open up a 3D game. I tried this with other 3D game too like World of Warcraft and same thing happened. I tried with both window XP and Vista (32 and 64 bit) and the problem still happen. I dont overclock my compter everything runs at stock speed.

I have no heating issue at all. My cpu cooler is Noctua Ibought it for $70. I have 5 x 120mm fans and 1x 200mm fan. I have RealTemp, CPU-Z, GPU-z running and the temps are fine. If anyone has this same problem or have any suggestions I really appreciated.

i have the same prob my pc goes on @ 9 in the morning the 1st thing i run is the crysis benchmark. it crashes after a couple of secs but theres times when it is fine games crash to like the model 2 emulater im playing with virtua fighter2. mine hasnt got a pink screen though like yurs its like lego on mine i think cos the pc is cold thats my problem bcos off being off for hours. if freezing here in northeren ireland @ the mo really cold.....

Yea the weird thing is it only crash once after the first turn on. then if I leave my c omp on it runs fine the rest of the day or until I turn it off for 2 hours at least. Yea this started to happen just a couple weeks ago and it could prob the cold weather. Winter just started here too. But I really dont know what is the problem.

This can probably can help you, as far as confidence that a GTX280 can ROCK.

The game can be a BEE-ITCH- as if I needed to mention it. But it can be conquered!

Because I had big problems with Crysis and my GTX280 when I first played while OCing (my CPU), I compared Crysis with absolutely no OCing. As a result I found the solution for me was CPU Voltage. And I just LUVED the 280 after that. I had my GTX280 for three months. (Traded Up for a 295 anyway- IT JUST ARRIVED! )

All I did was add a little Voltage to my CPU. No Joke! Instead of 1.26250V @3.7 Mhz I used 1.26875V.

Here's how I figured out my solution:

The entire first month I had a new GTX280, I ran my Intel C2D E8400 Wolfdale System with all default settings except for the +.3 volts on Corsair Dominator RAM- to take it from 1.8V to 2.1V on my MOBO. It's required for this RAM to run at its intended 1,066 Mhz... Corsair's Tech support ROCKS!

Yes, if I don't overclock (especially in Crysis) I do loose performance in many games (20% slower in Crysis). But even though the Game ran much slower (as I would witness a month later while OCing the CPU @ 3.7 Ghz it ran 20% faster ) not OCing was necessary for me in order to road test a new video card. What better way to proove that the hundreds of Dollars I spent on a video card resulted in a good quality product?

So, after a whole month of no crashing, while the CPU was @ factory 3.0Ghz defaults, I overclocked and gradually had some problems especially if playing for long periods in most games other than Crysis, and almost immediately in Crysis. Crysis crashed and crashed and I couldn't put two and two together.

I was like so, "%$*&$^@#|*" mad. So I googoogoogoogoogled.

But then I remembered that without OCing, the System Rocked. No crashes whatsoever. So I got out my OCing Spread Sheets and put on my Detective hat.

I asked a key question. What is different now? (I've never had problems with running anything with the CPU @3.7GHz.)

The answer was that in addition to a new GTX280 video card, I had gotten the best 620 Watt PSU several months earlier. And all my Spreadsheet data was aquired from a crappy PSU and my original 8800GTX. Yes, it was the same MOBO, RAM, and CPU, but changing a Video Card and PSU is too drastic of a change to continue relying 100% on the same data.

So I ran Crysis again without OCing, and it didn't crash. The game was obviously slower, but it didn't crash. Then I put the CPU back to 3.7Ghz and used the Voltage that use to always work for me, but it crashed. So in addition to the CPU being back to 3.7Ghz, I added more Voltage than what use to always work for me. And with the Voltage increased from 1.26250V to 1.26875V it was like a miracle because zero crashes occurred after that. AND CRYSIS ROCKED TOO. That extra 20%+ boost in performance (3.7GHz vs. 3.0GHz) is a must. And the PC, was all of a sudden, indestructible again from all games including Crysis.

Here's the proof:

What are some of the craziest things to do in Crysis, if you want to avoid crashing?

Answer:

Repeatedly, and at free will, Quick Save and Quick Load. (Plus Alt+Tabbing, over and over.)

For three days, I tried so hard to crash Crysis after this PC was properly configured, that I was dumbfounded. It saved and reloaded every time. w00t! I treated it as if it was the original Half-Life game running on an nVidia 6, 7, or 8 Series Video card.

You know, like when you say 'that was cool.. i got to do that again'. And then you Quick Load to your hearts desire. And no crashing... IN CRYSIS... w00t!!!

Or, like when you say 'that was cool.. but let me try saving a fraction before'. And then you Quick Load again and again until your content enough to move on towards other challenges. IN CRYSIS... ON VERY HIGH... w00t!!!

It can be done, on Very High settings now, with a Single Video Card.

My system with a GTX280, and a CPU properly OCed cannot be stopped by Crysis anymore! NOT ONE Lockup or super Lag, no Crash to Desktop... nothing!

Did I say? 'It's alive'! Muahaha.

And now I've got a GTX295- I've not installed it yet because in order to be safe, I need to wake up well rested, and in a good mood to install it, along with a new 800Watt PSU.

Yes the GTX280, is just barely fast enough for Crysis, but it will run it on Very High or Enthusiast in Warhead; at 1680x1050 it'll keep dipping just below 20 FPS minimal, and as high as mid 30 FPS. Most people consider this the minimal playable Frame Rates. Looks so sweet! Barely dipping below 20, while all the craziest stuff in the game happening, is just fine.

And anyone that has not Tweaked their OS and Problem Solved a troublesome FSP Game with help available at TweakGuides.com, has Missed The Boat. You must check it out. (My inspiration that OCing was maybe to blame came as a result of revisiting TweakGuides.com for the first time in a long time and re-reading everything about Crysis there.)

So your suggestion was to increase the CPU voltage a little? But Im not OCing my system. Im running it at default speed and everything and it still crash. But it only crash "once" everytime I first turn on my system for the day. For example, I woke up and turn on my computer. Then fire up a 3D game such as World of warcraft or Left 4 Dead. then after being in the game for 2 or 3mins it crashes. Then I have to hard restart. Then I open up a 3D game again and play . And it works fine after that the rest of the day as long as I dont turn off my comp for like 2 or 3 hours.

When something heats up it expands. You probably have a broken part. But when it heats up, it expands, finally pressing the slightly disconnected parts together. Then when it cools down and contracts, the broken area stops touching, and the problem repeats.

As you say, you have to turn the machine off for a couple of hours for it to happen again.